2 posts from October 24, 2013

October 24, 2013

GAINESVILLE -- It’s the bye week, so what better time to
rank Florida’s top 10 players to date…

1. WR/KR Solomon Patton – 28 catches for 426 yards, 5 total
touchdowns: Florida’s most explosive and reliable playmaker. Think how inept
UF’s offense would be if the senior were still a jet-sweep specialist?

3. LB Michael Taylor – team-leading 41 tackles, 3.5 TFL:
Florida’s top linebacker on a unit that’s struggled all season. It’s strange to
live in a world where Taylor is a better linebacker than Antonio Morrison, but
alas, that’s where we are and it’s a major reason why Florida suddenly cannot
stop the run.

6. ARK QB Brandon Allen DL Jon Bullard – 20 tackles,
1.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries: Not as heralded or dynamic as Fowler Jr., but
Bullard has been one of Florida’s most consistent (despite playing out of
position inside) linemen in Dominique Easley’s absence.

GAINESVILLE -- The Gators -- unranked and unraveling -- will
have no mid-season coaching changes, Will Muschamp emphatically announced
Wednesday.

Florida, crippled by injuries and a stale and inept offense,
is reeling following consecutive drubbings against LSU and Missouri, but
Muschamp endorsed his staff -- specifically offensive coordinator Brent Pease
-- 100 percent.

“This is the same staff that came a game away from playing
for [the] national championship, OK?” he said. “Obviously we’re not where we
want to be right now, and nobody knows that more than our staff. So we need to
go back and re-evaluate what we’re doing and continue to improve our football
team over the next five weeks.”

The Gators’ (4-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) have continued
to regress on offense, as they rank No. 106 in total offense (336.9 y/g) --
this following consecutive seasons finishing in the bottom 20 nationally of
total offense.

With no identity and few playmakers, it’s been agonizing for
Florida to even gain first downs in recent weeks.

UF’s floundering offensive line has allowed 10 sacks in last
the two games, while it’s rushing attack has averaged a conference-worst 3.70
yards per carry.

Reserve linebacker and special teams ace Jeremi Powell will
miss the remainder of the year with a torn ACL. It’s UF’s eighth season-ending
injury in 2013.

“It’s just one of those years,” coach Will Muschamp said.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the game. You’ve got to coach through it
and you’ve got to play through it. We don’t make excuses around here. We need
to play better than we did the last two weeks.”

Powell was hurt on a punt block in the 36-17 loss to
Missouri last weekend, but the injury was caused in a non-contact situation.

“He was just planting and got caught in the turf,” Muschamp
said. “Unfortunate for him. He’s a guy who was really emerging, special
teams-wise. He did a great job on kickoff for us.”

Meanwhile, linebacker/defensive end Ronald Powell remains
out with an ankle injury, but Muschamp is hopeful the junior will return
against Georgia following the bye week.

Quarterback Tyler Murphy (shoulder) isn’t throwing in
practice this week, but he too is expected to start versus the Bulldogs next
weekend, as is defensive tackle Damien Jacobs (head injury).